


Aggressive Neutrality

by treewhisker



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Catra (She-Ra) Redemption, F/F, Gen, Renegades, adora leaves the hoard, catra leaves the hoard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-06 14:07:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16834135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treewhisker/pseuds/treewhisker
Summary: Catra and Adora won’t stand for the Horde’s evil doings.Catra and Adora do not know the Princesses, or who to trust.Catra and Adora are their own rebellion.-Renegade AU, sort of. Catra and Adora run away and make their own resistance.





	1. Escape

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [what tips the scales](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16822561) by [laikaspeaks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/laikaspeaks/pseuds/laikaspeaks). 



> this first chapter is quite short, but its introductory!  
> THIS IS BASED OFF OF ANOTHER WORK WHICH IS LISTED! ITS A VERY LOOSE BASE!

* * *

“Catra,” Adora murmured one restless night, long before she was supposed to be promoted, “I’m leaving.”

“Not without me,” Catra mumbled, still half asleep at Adora’s feet.

Such a seemingly small thing, two cadets fleeing from their home. And yet, years later, these two would have the ability to bring the Horde to its knees.

* * *

Catra held Adora’s hand, both laughing giddily as they raced through the Whispering Woods. It was night, the crescent moon high in the sky but mostly obscured by the swaying canopy of leaves. They’d slipped out silently. Shadow Weaver was in another sector at the moment of their departure, leaving them nothing to fear for the moment.

“We’re free!” Catra cried in joy, slowing to a stop in a large clearing. Adora wheezed behind her, laughs mingled into her heavy breaths. 

“We’re… free…” Adora laughed, but it faded as she took in the surroundings. Catra turned somewhat solemn, as well.

The pair stood in a ravaged plaza of sorts. Horde technology laid destroyed and shredded, surrounded by signs of old settlement. Burnt huts scattered around in a somewhat circular shape, a few carts crushed, tools littering the ground… and bones. Lots of bones. 

“Catra… this…” Adora gasped, trembling in her confusion. She’d known the Horde was  _ bad… _ but there were tiny bones mixed with big bones, clear areas that were for agriculture,  _ homes _ … 

“Adora,” Catra said firmly, her quiet voice carrying in the unnatural stillness of the ruined town, “This is why we had to leave. You know what they’re capable of.”

“I… I know more, now,” Adora took a deep breath to steel herself. “And we can’t let this continue.”

Catra have a harsh laugh. “What do you suggest? Become  _ princesses? _ ” The word was almost spat, her prejudice shining through. 

  
“No, no.” Adora shook her head. The princesses were as bad as the Horde, in her eyes. She met Catra’s gaze, eyes like fire. “We aren’t either. We are our  _ own. _ ”


	2. Days Gone By

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hop, a skip, and a jump.

“Madame,” One of Angella’s guarda stood before her, at attention. She seemed… tense, which was odd, as Horde attacks weren’t reported at attention. Rather, those were frantic. That meant… “The Outliers raided another shipment. The Plumeria crops and ointments are gone, but the guards and Plumerian citizens seem to be relatively unharmed.”

Angella heaved a sigh. The raids had become more frequent as of late, which was definitely curious. The Outliers, as Netossa and her wife had taken to calling them, cropped up a few years prior. In the beginning, they would only raid once every two months, or even less. But as the years went on, they slowly began raiding more and more. Now, they attacked both Rebellion and Horde shipments and butted into battles almost weekly. 

Dismissing the soldier, Angella frowned deeply and stood. Something had to be done. While the Outliers didn’t support the Horde, they didn’t help the Rebellion. The Queen knew very well that some didn’t support their ideas, or believe the Rebellion had a fighting chance, but… this third party made things much more complicated. Neutrality was one thing. This… Angella sighed again. 

Considering that the Outliers actively avoided hurting Rebellion soldiers, and that sometimes a cloaked figure or two even  _ returned _ injured forces, sending someone out would be relatively safe. Every injured soldier was always knocked unconscious, and never more. Perhaps…

“Mom!” 

Speak of the Hordak. “Hello, Glimmer,” Angella smiled, always happy to see her daughter, “What brings you—”

“I want to go on a mission!” Glimmer said abruptly, cutting off her mother. A spark of irritation rose in Angella’s chest, but she quickly buried it. Glimmer had been restless lately… maybe… 

“How would you like to investigate something for me?” 

* * *

Catra leaned lazily on one of the ruined battle cruisers, one eye closed and the other watching the camp. Her ears were always perked, being one of the sharpest lookouts, although she mostly stayed close to camp. 

Over the years, her hair had become shaggier than ever before, and small scars littered her body. A large one was obscured, hiding behind her shirt, spanning from her shoulder to her opposite hip. Her usual outfit was a mixup of scavenged items, save for her feet, which were always wrapped in bandages. Catra was alone, and thus, she could watch the camp without creeping any of the others out, as she was wont to do.

Their odd settlement had grown considerably. Everywhere, piles of junk had become homes, barrels of guns had become bridges, nets had become ladders… it was a hodgepodge of repurposed battle remnants. They’d set up a farm of sorts, but with it being winter, the Whispering Woods refused to let them grow food. Trees were connected with ropes and nets, ruined clothes had been stitched together to make overhangs, tank lights lay on the ground to illuminate the camp at night… all in all, Catra loved it. The camp reflected those who lived in it.

Catra’s ear flicked. Footsteps. Fast, stumbling, light… Kyle.

The boy hopped out of the underbrush, breathing heavily. “C-Catra!” He panted, “R-Rogelio and- and Lonnie are engaging a Princess!” 

Catra rose instantly. “Adora!” She called, claws already unsheathed, “I think the Princesses finally snapped!”

* * *

Glimmer teleported again, frowning in annoyance. The big Lizard-Guy and the small Human-Kid weren’t bad fighters, but she could tell they weren’t fighting  _ hard _ . The idiots were holding back, for reasons she couldn’t discern.

Their clothes were tattered, a mix of village and Horde clothes, sometimes both sewn together. The human had more scars than Lizard, but Lizard did have a deep scar running down his left arm. Both were somewhat thin, but muscular. 

Glimmer didn’t want to hurt them, despite both fighting her. They didn’t seem  _ aggressive,  _ per se, more like they were trying to keep her from something. Which, again, strange.

Sudden footsteps alerted the three, Lizard-Guy and Human-Kid developing wide smiles. Both high-fived each other, and murmured something about a ‘Kyle.’ 

A blonde girl hopped from the bushes, hard blue eyes staring Glimmer down. One seemed faded, although not to the degree she’d associate with blindness. She held herself tall, her unkempt hair draped over her shoulders like a cape. A large but faded scar, possibly from a burn, ran from her eye to beneath her jaw. A large, sharpened staff was aimed towards Glimmer. The girl was missing her left ring finger. Her clothes were in the same tattered state as the rest, although a deep red cloth hung from around her waist like a belt. 

She was beautiful, Glimmer noted distantly.

However, she was distracted from her thoughts by a sharp… something being pressed against her throat. 

“Hello,  _ princess, _ ” A deep, feminine voice purred. Glimmer quickly teleported, going higher into the trees. She could see the girl was feline, and that the blonde was shaking her head.

The next thing she knew, Glimmer was being held firmly by the Cat-Girl. She tried to teleport, but a firmer press against her wrists dissuaded her. “Now. Let’s go.”

* * *

Glimmer was lead to a… a… battlefield? She couldn’t tell. It was a city and a ruin all in one, and her expectations warred with her newfound observations. People —  _ children  _ — poked their heads out from the shelters littered around the clearing, curiosity etched into their faces. Glimmer noted the makeshift farm, the tarps, the tank-houses, and more, her own curiosity starting to combat her fear. How strange.

The Cat-Girl, referred to as Catra by Lizard-Guy and Human-Kid, lead her to a tank-house much like the others, save for the red tarp hanging in front of the entrance. Catra lead her inside, both following closely behind Blonde-Girl. Lizard-Guy and Human-Kid didn’t follow. 

“So,” Blonde-Girl began as she and Catra sat down, Catra pulling Glimmer with her and keeping a firm grip on her wrists with one hand, “You’re a princess.”

“Um…” Glimmer frowned in confusion. “Yes. Glimmer.”

“I am… Adora,” Blonde-Girl said quietly, voice somewhat rough, “And we are… um. Rebels?” She turned to Catra with a question in her expression. “What’re they calling us now?”

“The Outliers,” Catra laughed, “Jeez, Adora, keep up with the times.” 

“Wait.” Glimmer shook her head as if to clear it. “You.  _ You’re _ the Outliers? Seriously?”

“Yes?” Adora answered, honestly confused as to why Glimmer would doubt that, “We… fight the Horde. And we control the Princesses. Both are…”

“Bad, nefarious, up to no good?” Catra offered, listing options with her free hand. “Horde is definitely worse, but all the things we hear about the princesses doing? Yeesh.”

“Now wait just a minute,” Glimmer protested, “The Princesses are the  _ good guys! _ We fight the Horde just as much as you do.”

“Tell that to all of the orphans here,” Adora stared down Glimmer, a challenge in her eyes. “Where were you when their cities were destroyed, their parents killed, their siblings  _ stolen? _ Many of them even lived here, in the Whispering Woods.  _ Your territory. _ If you won’t protect, we will.” 

Catra smirked. “Our territory now. We take in people you  _ hate. _ People who aren’t like you. People who defect.”

“Catra,” Adora warned, but Catra continued, knowing that the truth would get out eventually.

“You probably hate us because  _ we _ defected,” The girl sneered, tail lashing. “But nobody knows the horrors of the Horde more than us. More than  _ me _ ,” she hissed, and Glimmer resisted the urge to shrink back. She was a strong princess, damn it!

“I don’t hate you. I hate the Horde,” Glimmer said gravely, “and only the Horde.” 

Catra snorted. Adora sighed, shaking her head at Catra’s belligerence. “Catra, let her go,” she ordered, and quickly cut off Catra’s protest, “the Princesses haven’t harmed us before. While they may be rotten, they aren’t the same as the Horde.”

Catra grumbled, but released her vice-like grip on Glimmer’s wrists. Rapidly, Glimmer jumped back, rubbing her wrists. She glanced back and forth at the two raggedy girls, and disappeared in a puff of sparkles. 

“Let’s hope that doesn’t backfire,” Adora sighed again, rubbing her eyes. Catra just huffed another laugh. 

* * *

“MOM!” Glimmer yelled as she burst into the throne room, “Mom, I saw their leader! Their camp!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment!   
> Constructive crit always welcome!

**Author's Note:**

> please leave feedback :3


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